4 Tips for Fasting Successfully
The beginning of the year is a popular time to focus on spiritual disciplines, but the New Year is only one of the occasions we should fast. And this particular spiritual discipline is notoriously difficult, which is why we’re going to dive into some tips for fasting successfully.
If you’ve decided to embark on a fast — whether it’s in preparation for a new ministry, to help you make a decision, or to simply strengthen your spirit — you’ve made a wise decision!
After all, Jesus talked about how fasting would be a part of his followers’ lives once his earthly ministry was over:
“But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.”
Choosing to fast is just the first step, though. As you begin to plan your fast, you may be wondering how to get the most out of it. Considering how challenging it is to fast, we’d better make it count, right?
TIP #1: ESTABLISH YOUR FASTING GOAL
Fasting isn’t easy, but it comes along with so many amazing benefits. You probably already have some of those benefits in mind as the reasons you’ve chosen to fast.
The first tip is to decide what your main objective is for this particular fast. Are you looking to overcome some spiritual opposition? Perhaps you’re seeking an answer to a specific prayer. Maybe you just want to recalibrate your spiritual life.
Whatever your purpose for fasting is, determine what you most want from God from this fast and write it down. That way, when your strength begins to fade, you can remind yourself of why you decided to do this in the first place.
Really thinking through the reason you’re fasting and what you want to get out of it is going to go a long way in making your fast a spiritual success.
TIP #2: CHOOSE YOUR FAST
Did you know there are many different kinds of fasts?
Here are some of the basic types:
A Complete Fast- Go without food of any kind for a certain number of meals or days.
A Partial Fast- Give up certain foods or drink for a particular amount of time.
A Non-Food Fast- Give up certain activities for a particular amount of time.
The fast that you choose will depend on a number of factors — like your fasting goal, your overall health, and your lifestyle. If you’ve never fasted before, for example, a complete 3-day fast may not be the best way to start out in your fasting journey. If you have certain medical conditions, a complete fast may not even be a healthy option for you.
Choose a fast both mindfully and prayerfully based on your goals and abilities.
TIP #3: LOOK AT YOUR CALENDAR
You want your fast to be ultimately successful, so you don’t want to plan a fast on the day you’ll be attending a social event like a wedding or doing something strenuous like helping a friend move.
Set yourself up for success by scheduling your fast during a time that you’ll have fewer competing priorities. That way you can really focus on spending time with God.
TIP #4: PLAN YOUR “SPIRITUAL MEALS”
One important thing to remember is that when we’re fasting, we’re not just abstaining from food – we’re feasting on spiritual things!
So, in order to be successful in a fast, we want to make a plan for what we’ll be replacing our meals with. Which spiritual nourishments will you choose to replace your physical nourishment with?
Here are some great ideas for ‘spiritual meals’ to plan:
Choose a book/podcast/devotional to dive into.
Plan a time and place to spend in prayer.
Create a special worship playlist.
PUT THESE TIPS FOR FASTING INTO ACTION!
All throughout the Bible, amazing things happened when the people of God fasted. When we fast, hearts are changed, miracles happen, victory is won, and the Spirit of God is poured out!
There’s no doubt about it: Fasting is powerful.
With a little bit of preparation, you can complete a successful fast and see God work wonders in your life.
Go for it!